Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of Generational Intelligence And Its Relationship With Team Cohesion And Team Performance In A Jamaican Multi-Generational Workforce, Omar Z. D. Oliphant

Dissertations

Problem

The Jamaica Union Conference (JAMU) currently faces a phenomenon of having a multi-generational workforce that includes four generations working alongside each other across its five fields for the first time in its history. This intersection of generations brings challenges concerning the adequacy of leaders’ generational intelligence and its relationship to team outcomes and perceptions of performance. The potential concerns for leaders center around employee recruitment, retention and engagement, conflict resolution, workplace culture, and productivity, among others (Tapscott, 2009). Any potential misunderstanding resulting from inadequate cross-generational intelligence among members of the generations currently represented may result in these Jamaican generationally …

Pastoral Leadership Of Seventh-Day Adventist Pastors In Sub-Saharan Africa And Congregational Giving During 2020-2021: A Grounded Theory Study, Eric Jean-Bruno Aniel Barbe

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical model that describes how the behavioral strategies of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) pastors in Sub-Saharan Africa may have positively influenced congregational giving during the years 2020-2021 of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method

A qualitative grounded theory research design was used (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). In-depth interviews were conducted to collect data from a purposive sample of SDA pastoral leaders in Sub-Saharan Africa. The collected data were analyzed using an iterative process consisting of open, axial, and selective coding, thereby facilitating the construction of subcategories and a core category. This analytical process …

Predictors Of Bullying Behaviors Among Adolescents In Saudi Arabia: The Role Of Self-Esteem, Emotional Intelligence And Moral Disengagement, Ayat Hamzah

Dissertations

Problem

Bullying issues are increasing among school-age children worldwide. Children and adolescents involved in bullying as victims, perpetrators, or both are likely to experience negative consequences on their emotional, social, and academic levels (Espelage & Holt, 2001). In spite of the increasing research on bullying in Saudi Arabia, there exists gaps in the literature, especially in the role of individual traits (self-esteem, emotional intelligence) and cognitive processes (moral disengagement) on bullying behavior. Additionally, using modeling analysis to understand the predictive factors affecting bullying involvement processes also filled in some of the gaps in the literature. The current study investigated the …

The Correlation Between Childhood Sexual Abuse, Intimate Partner Violence, And Sexual Revictimization On North America Emerging Adult Females' Romantic Relationship Satisfaction With Spiritual Well-Being And Post-Traumatic Growth As Mediators, Sara C. Ward

Dissertations

Problem

Emerging adulthood is a time of great adjustment, in both personal and relational terms. One of emerging adulthood's most important developmental tasks includes the excitement of intimate romantic relationships (Shulman & Connolly, 2013). These intimate romantic relationships can involve sexual as well as emotional intimacy (Fisher, 2006). When there has been sexual abuse in childhood, the perception of self and others is maladaptive and damaging, increasing one's chance of experiencing sexual revictimization and intimate partner violence (Williams et al., 2010). This can greatly influence romantic relationship satisfaction. There are very few references to strength- based trauma mediators in the …

Impact Of The Regionalization Of Universidad De Antioquia In The Development Of Human Capital And Improvement Of The Equity In The Region Of Urabá, Monica Castaño Mejía

Dissertations

Problem

In Colombia, higher education plays a relevant role in developing human capital and equity, giving everyone the opportunity to access higher education. In particular, the government has been supporting public and private universities to open campuses in rural areas where guerrillas, the mafia, and paramilitary groups were fighting the government to dominate the territories. In 1995, the government of the State of Antioquia officially established the regionalization of higher education as a strategy to promote higher education in disadvantaged regions. The Universidad de Antioquia (Universidad de Antioquia) adopted that strategy as part of its development plans during the last …

Toward A Biblical And Missiological Framework For Transformational Advocacy In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Michelet William

Dissertations

Problem

Adventists have been inconsistent in dealing with inequality and injustice in society, swaying between silence, accommodation, positional statements, and direct advocacy approaches. Although advocacy has become more prominent among Adventist thinkers since the end of the twentieth century, there is a lack of empirical data which answer questions related to contemporary Adventists' beliefs and practices in relation to advocacy in the context of mission. Concomitantly, there does not yet exist a documented or articulated Adventist missiological perspective on advocacy.

Research Questions

(1) What part, if any, has biblically-based social advocacy played in Adventist mission history? and (2) What do …

Religiosity, Family Sexual Communication & Gender As Predictors Of Attitudes Toward Oral Sex Among College/University Students In The United States, Antoinette Napier

Dissertations

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether religiosity, family sexual communication and gender were predictors of attitudes toward oral sex among college/university students in the United States.

Method

Participants completed several surveys, which measured participants' personal religiosity, family sexual communication, and attitudes toward oral sex. A path analysis model was used to analyze the relationship between the proposed variables.

Results

The path analysis hypothesized model resulted in a poor fit for the data. The model was respecified by removing three items which showed weak beta weights. The respecified model produced a good fit for the data. The …

Teaching Shante Curtelia Dominique Ophelia Brown Johnson : An Autoethnography Of A Black Male, Seventh-Day Adventist, Jazz Avant-Garde Artist, Michael Gayle

Dissertations

Leadership is part and parcel of societies and cultures. Leadership research can provide understanding that in turn provides knowledge, resources and growth opportunities for leaders. Leadership may be understood from a personal perspective as being bound up with identity. As I examine myself as a person and as a leader, I realize that several identities are prominent: Black male identity, Christian identity, jazz avant-garde artistic identity. Each of those identities have features that contribute to leadership.

The purpose of this study is to describe and explore leadership experiences of a Black male, from the Seventh-day Adventist Christian tradition who is …

"A Raisin In A Box": The Experiences Of Racialized Black Males In Leadership Roles In The Non-Profit Sector In Toronto, Canada, Morris Anthony Beckford

Dissertations

Problem

The marginalization of Black and other racialized bodies (people of colour) has led to the position of a leader becoming so synonymous with Whiteness that it is normalized and naturalized; and worse, there has been limited analysis about why this is so. There is even less analysis of the experiences of the few people of colour who occupy leadership roles in organizations (Berkshire, 2008; Bradshaw et al., 2009; Mills et al., 2010; Nkomo, 2011; Ospina & Foldy, 2009). Astonishingly, organizations in diverse communities also have exiguous conversations about such salient issues like race and gender even though there is …

An Examination Of The Influence Of Ethnic Identity, Spirituality, And Social Support As Predictors Of Resilience Among Black Male College Graduates Born In The United States, Sandy Belizaire

Dissertations

Problem

This study aimed to assess the influence of ethnic identity, spirituality, and social support on resilience among Black males (BM) who were born in the United States of America and are recent college graduates. The achievement gap between BM and their counterparts is among education's most infuriating problems. Educators are more likely to dissuade Black men from going to college, and those who enroll drop out before they graduate (Noguera 2003; Wilborn 2013).

Method

This study employed a non-experimental, quantitative correlation research design using self-report questionnaires. The target population for this study was American-born Black males who were graduates …

Leadership Styles And Effective Leadership Among Higher Education Leaders In The North American Division Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Patrice A. Wright

Dissertations

Problem

Leadership has been shown to be crucial in the success of organizations, especially in higher education. However, little research has been done about leadership styles and effectiveness in North American Division (NAD) of Seventh-Day Adventists (SDA) higher education institutions. My study examined transformational, transactional, and passive avoidant leadership styles and leadership effectiveness in these higher education institutions.

Method

To examine leadership in Adventist colleges, I used the online MLQ-5X short form. I secured participation from 12 colleges and after repeated emails secured 168 responses. I analyzed the relationship between leadership styles, several leader characteristics and leader effectiveness, using SEM, …

Self-Efficacy And Job Satisfaction As Predictors Of Burnout Among School Psychologists In The Midwest United States, Elizabeth Mcknight-Romney

Dissertations

Problem

The concept of burnout is expressed as a syndrome evidenced by chronic exhaustion, depersonalization, and a lack of personal accomplishment. Burnout or work burnout syndrome is conceptualized as a prolonged process of emotional fatigue, involving loss of motivation and expectations, generating a feeling of failure affecting personal, work, and social levels (Maslach et al., 2001). Victims of burnout usually become exhausted, cynical about work-related matters, and question their capacity or ability to perform. Job burnout includes feeling exhausted physically, emotionally, and or mentally in the context of work (Maslach & Jackson, 1981). The demanding profession of school psychology has …

Examining The Relationship Between Child Maltreatment, Executive Functioning, And Trauma Appraisal, Myshira Oliver

Dissertations

Problem

A current problem is that although child maltreatment has been demonstrated to be negatively associated with both executive functioning and trauma appraisal (leading to feelings of shame, self-blame, etc.), there is not an established model within the literature that explains the relationship between child maltreatment, executive functioning, and trauma appraisal. The purpose of this study was to develop a model that displayed the relationship between child maltreatment, executive functioning, and trauma appraisal. Additionally, this study sought to discover differences in trauma appraisal and executive functioning based on the type of child maltreatment experienced.

Method

This study employed a quantitative, …

Racial Identity, Hair Esteem, Hair Texture, And Hairstyle Choice As Correlates Of Psychological Well-Being Among Afro-Latinas In The United States, Marielsy Esther Pimentel

Dissertations

Problem

During the Colonial period, hair was one of the designated phenotypic markers of racial group membership used to assign or deny privilege. Privileges are still assigned to people based on their racial group membership and their proximity to Whiteness. As such, Hair remains a salient part of Afro-Latina women’s lives and identities, with its influences seen in the personal, social, and mental realms. How an Afro-Latina wears her hair can have legal, social, and intrapersonal consequences. The subsequent treatment of Afro-Latinas because of their hairstyle can affect how they view themselves and even how they relate to others, especially …

Church Planting: Exploring The Actual Experiences And Stories Of Four Church Planters Of The Plant1000 Evangelism Initiative In The North American Division Of The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Hyveth Williams

Dissertations

Problem. Plant1000 was launched in 2016 by the North American Division (NAD), the fifth largest of 13 divisions of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church. Since then, it has been reported that over 1000 new church plants have been started, but we do not really understand how healthy most of these are, or not. We also do not know what they are actually experiencing in their developing into viable congregations. The focus of this dissertation is the story of four selected church plants that may be able to help us understand those dynamics that, at the moment, are little understood. -- …

A Study Of Teacher Burnout In Private Seventh-Day Adventist And Public Schools In Trinidad/Tobago And Michigan, Usa, Carla Copeland-Joseph

Dissertations

Problem

Burnout as described by Maslach and Leiter (2007) is a syndrome involving psychological processes that result from Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization and diminished Personal Accomplishment in the workplace. It is represented as a stressful experience that is rooted in a person’s own interpretation of social relationships and needs. The aim of this study was to investigate teacher burnout and its interactions with individual factors (Gender, Years of Experience, Emotional Intelligence, Nationality), organizational factors (School Type, School Culture), and transactional factors (Technology Use, Teacher Self-Efficacy) for teachers in Trinidad and Tobago and the state of Michigan in the United States. The …

Perceived Effectiveness Of A Mentoring Program For Training Adventist Chinese Evangelists, Terry Man-Yuen Tsui

Dissertations

Problem

The fact that evangelism in the Unorganized Territories of the Chinese Union Mission was done mainly as personal evangelism and that public evangelism was limited to a one-day seed sowing meeting had led to a serious need for equipping pastors in effective public evangelism methods. It required a model of public evangelism, which is adaptable to the local Chinese culture, and a mentoring program that accompanies evangelists, who were still developing their skills in public evangelism.

Method

This study used a parallel mixed methods design to measure the perceived effectiveness of selected methods in the mentoring program. This design …

Healthcare Leadership In The Context Of Cognitive Diseases Of Aging: A Community-Based Participatory Research Model, Dean Sherzai

Dissertations

The Problem

The world is facing a tsunami of chronic diseases of the brain such as dementia, Parkinson's, and stroke. But all populations are not affected equally. Though we are all at greater risk of developing these diseases, minority communities such as the Black and Hispanic populations are at much greater risk of succumbing to these conditions. To date we have spent billions of dollars on research and public health measures that have repeatedly failed, but over the last decade it has become evident that much of these diseases can simply be averted through effective public health and community-based measures …

Self-Efficacy And Self-Regulation As Predictors Of Academic Motivation Among Undergraduate Students In The United States, Fatimah Aljuaid

Dissertations

Problem

Some undergraduate students demonstrate lack of academic motivation which negatively affects engagement and perseverance in higher education (Busse & Walter, 2017; Rizkallah & Seitz, 2017; Dresel & Grassinger, 2013). Amotivated students are more likely to drop out of school and disengage from learning activities or underachieve (Wang & Pomerantz, 2009). Although the lack of academic motivation is correlated with deficiency in self-regulation and self-efficacy, relatively little studies have been conducted to examine the impact of these factors on academic motivation particularly in the U.S. This study constructed a hypothesized model to investigate the role of self-regulation and self-efficacy in …

Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Lived Experiences Of A Leadership Role During Clinical Practicum, Gisela E. Schmidt

Dissertations

Problem

Leadership is an essential component of professional nursing practice used in many aspects of the Registered Nurse (RN) role. Baccalaureate nursing (BN) programs have the responsibility of preparing graduating nursing students with leadership orientation and practice. Excellent professional preparation of RNs starts with their education during nursing school. The fast-paced and high-demand healthcare environment needs RNs who can be accountable for patient care that enables excellent patient outcomes and sound patient-centered care. Taking this into consideration, nursing educators are in a special position to promote nursing education which prepares their students with leadership education and training. The purpose of …

An Exploratory Analysis Of Conflict In African Immigrant And African American Marriages, Cornelius Ayodeji Osuntade

Dissertations

Problem

There has been a high level of marital conflict in immigrant families from patriarchal cultures. There are negative attitudes toward women that contribute to couple conflict. Coupled with this are issues relating to immigration challenges that confront marriage stability among immigrant couples in North America. In the same vein, African American couples experience conflicts that militate against the stability of their marriages. Most of these marital upheavals stem from historical antecedents relating to this ethnic group, as well as the societal dialectics confronting them. By and large, regarding couple conflict, a better understanding of the challenges facing African immigrant …

Job Satisfaction As A Function Of The Five Factor Model Of Personality In The Community Mental Health Center Environment Of Northern Indiana, Robert Ryan

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the Big Five personality type indicators and job satisfaction in the community mental health setting. The focus of this study was to gain a better understanding of whether a not-for-profit can benefit from the use of a brief personality instrument to recruit and retain individuals with the highest probability of job satisfaction. This research complements previous research which has revealed a positive correlation between certain Big Five personality traits and job satisfaction in several sectors. The research population for this study consisted of community mental health employees working …

Choice Of God/Higher Power, Perceptions Of God/Higher Power, Religious Beliefs And Behaviors, And Social Support As Predictors Of Length Of Sobriety, Satisfaction With Life, And Quality Of Life Among People Recovering From Alcohol Addictions In Three Midwestern States, Carlton Martin

Dissertations

Problem

An estimated 12.7% of the US population meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). The annual cost to the society, including emergency room visits, lost days at work, and accidents on the road is in the billions. The impact of this disorder on the family, the community, and the individual is immeasurable. A growing body of literature supports an association between religious and spiritual beliefs and behaviors and recovery from alcohol addiction. This project is an investigation of this association. The goal is to offer some …

A Quantitative Comparative Study Of Employee Engagement Among Full-Time Seventh-Day Adventist Pastors In The North American Division Of Seventh-Day Adventists And Its Relationship To Level Of Participation In Annual Pastoral Continuing Education (Ce), Sharon Aka

Dissertations

Problem

Research was needed to determine the relationship between pastoral CE and employee engagement to guide policy implementation as well as future efforts for pastoral professional development within the Adventist organization.

Method

This study presents a new theoretical Adventist pastor development model integrating several theories and concepts including: the call, the Seven Core Qualities of an NAD pastor framework, andragogy, CE, SDT, and employee engagement. Employee engagement was measured using Herzberg's hygiene-motivation factor employee engagement theory. Comparisons were conducted on six groups of pastors related to selfreported participation in annual CE.

Results

Major research findings indicate that pastors, perhaps inevitably …

Spiritual Coping As A Mediator Of Distress And Posttraumatic Growth Among Adult Female Survivors Of Sexual Abuse By Religious Leaders, Angela R. St. Hillaire

Dissertations

Problem

Posttraumatic growth has been defined as the positive psychological and behavioral changes that come about in the aftermath of a struggle with traumatic life events. The literature notes the existence of posttraumatic growth among survivors of intimate partner violence, childhood and/or adult sexual abuse, bereavement, terrorism, and other events. This study explored posttraumatic growth in a sample of female survivors of sexual abuse by religious leaders by examining how distress, spiritual coping, and posttraumatic growth were related in this population. This study examined the mediatory role of spiritual coping between distress and posttraumatic growth.

Method

Surveys that measured spiritual …

Coaching And Being Coached: A Qualitative Study Of The Experiences Of Education Leaders In The Florida Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists, Arne P. Nielsen

Dissertations

Problem

The Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists administration was concerned about its effectiveness as an evangelistic organization due to changes in societal norms. They felt a need for a paradigm shift to keep ministry relevant to its membership and to find new methods to reach people for Christ. There was an intentional focus on developing a model for effective ministry by equipping pastors and educators with new and different skills for the purpose of effecting personal and organizational transformation. For change to occur, it was decided to put in place a support system for leaders utilizing co-active coaching as the …

The Relationship Between Combat Experience, Veteran Pathology And The Pathology Of Their Intimate Partners: What Factors Predict The Pathology Of Veterans And Their Intimate Partners, Edwin A. Brennan

Dissertations

Problem Statement

Military members and their family members who are part of the Global War on Terrorism have experienced deployments and war for over sixteen years and with the resulting toll on both the veteran and their intimate partner. As a result, higher levels of pathology, such as PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression have been experienced by this population. While research has studied the effect of combat on military members, very little research has addressed the effects on family members. Further, no research that has been found by this researcher, has addressed the concept of resonating of pathology between the combat …

The Influence Of Pornography Consumption, Religiosity, And Family Sexual Communication On Emerging Adults' Engagement In Hookup Culture In The United States, Angie Powels Horner

Dissertations

Purpose

The primary purpose of the current research was to understand the influence of considerable social-cultural factors, including pornography consumption, religiosity, and family sexual communication, on the sexual values and behaviors of the emerging adult population. Particularly, how pornography consumption, religiosity, and family sexual communication influence emerging adult engagement in hookup culture was examined.

Method

Participants completed several surveys, which measured participants’ pornography consumption, personal religiosity, family sexual communication, and engagement in hookup culture. A path analysis model was used to analyze the relationship between the proposed variables.

Results

The path analysis model indicated that the initial model was a …

Variations In Individualistic And Collectivistic Cultural Orientation And The Protective Factors That Contribute To Resilience: Comparisons From Jamaica, Rwanda, And The United States, Stacey Nicely

Dissertations

Problem

Despite the advancement in resilience research, and although mental health professionals are encouraged to become culturally competent, it is still unclear how I/C cultural orientation influence various protective factors that contribute to resilience. Individualists emphasize independence and autonomy while collectivists emphasize interdependence and in-group consensus (Hofstede, 1991; Markus & Kitayama, 1991). Therefore, it is expected that the protective factors that promote resilience will also operate differently for individualists as compared to collectivists (Triandis, 1995). Yet, mental health practitioners have very little information available to them to guide their intervention efforts with individualists and collectivists. When practitioners work with individuals …

The Third Space: The Meeting Of Jew And Christian In The Act Of Remembering, Restoring, And Reconciling - A Case Study Of The Matzevah Foundation, Steven D. Reece

Dissertations

Problem

Due to long-standing religious, racial, and cultural tensions, a complex and challenging relationship exists between Jews and Christians. The resulting breach isolates and separates these two faith groups from each other. Consequently, they struggle to interact and engage in meaningful dialogue, which could repair the breach and lead to forgiveness and reconciliation. Dialogue bridges the gap between Jew and Christian allowing them to meet in the third space—the liminal space of the Jewish cemetery in Poland. Jews and Christians may deal with the evil of the past through what researchers term as "loving acts."

Method

This study was conducted …